By Tony Warren
There has been no change in God’s plan of redeeming Israel, and no postponement of the Kingdom as a result of their refusal of their Messiah. The prophesied New Covenant with Israel has been confirmed in Christ’s shed blood (Hebrews 9:16-18), and the Kingdom established by His resurrection. The grafting in of the Gentiles to be fellow citizens of Covenant Israel is not a change in God’s plan because of the Jews rejection, it was the esoteric plan incorporated into the original promises.
Galatians 3:7-8 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
We have all heard verse 26 quoted by those who believe that sometime in the future all (or nearly all) of the literal nation of Israel will be saved. But this is a verse taken out of context, and is often misunderstood, and seldom examined ‘carefully’ and compared with what God has said was already fulfilled. This verse has to be examined in context, and in the light of God’s stated purpose and defining of the true Israel.
Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
God’s definition of a Jew, and God’s definition of Israel may not be man’s definition. In God’s analogy of the Olive tree, we saw that one tree represents Covenant Israel, the other represents the Gentile nations. Obviously, if the tree is Covenant Israel and the branches represent the Jewish people of that Israel, then when the Gentiles are taken from their tree (the Gentile nations), and are grafted into Covenant Israel, they then become part of that camp of the saints. To say anything less is to dabble in absurdity. They’ve left their Gentile tree, and enter the tree of the Jews, that they then become fellow citizens of Covenant Israel along with their Jewish brethren. It is one family of God, one special or peculiar people, and one Holy Nation.
By the same token, those branches broken off (Jewish people who were not redeemed and are blinded), are no longer Covenant Israel in God’s eyes. In the Biblical vernacular, they have been cut off from Israel (Isaiah 9:13-14). Because there are not two trees representing Israel, there is one. And Gentiles are grafted into it. There are not two New Covenants with Israel, there is one. One tree, One Covenant, One Israel, and all God’s chosen are one. The body of Christ is not divided, it is confused theologians who are divided. It is wishful thinking to declare that God has two salvation plans. Christ came once to set up His Kingdom for all, and He did it. He came once to deliver ‘His people’ Israel, and He did it.
Even Chapter 8 of Zechariah (that many reference who hold a physical land restoration), makes it clear that there is only a remnant that will be saved (verse 9,11,12). Throughout the history of the world, there has never been an “all” Israel saved (if that all means a whole nation). There has always been a remnant, even when Israel was brought out of Egypt. The majority of Israel died in the wilderness because of unbelief. Didn’t even Jesus himself tell us that many are called, but “few” are Chosen or Elect? Corporately all Israel were the children of God, but obviously in reality, only a remnant at any time in history were “truly” the redeemed of Israel. Paul clearly makes that point right here in this chapter.
Romans 11:14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
Romans 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Paul understands the truth that many theologians today do not. He understands that the “all Israel” saved is made up of Jews and Gentiles together in one Body. The “all” is all that God has predestinated. This is why the world is not destroyed, though evil is present with us, and the Church is persecuted and hated. Because God is patient, waiting for this “all” to become saved.
2nd Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
The “all” that should come to repentance is all Israel. In other words, everyone who is drawn to Israel in the Seed, Christ. These are the branches God is long suffering or patiently waiting for. He knows that they consist of a remnant who are Jews, and the Gentiles who are coming in. It’s not that the scriptures do not make these things perfectly clear, it’s that some Christians are ignorant or unaware of these things. Is the promise to Israel broken because there is only a remnant? God forbid! Because the promise was not to a literal nation Israel (Romans 9:4-8), but was, concerning the election Israel (Romans 11:28) who are beloved for the fathers sake. They are the ones who have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
There are many other inconsistencies of this position. When Romans 11:26 says, “And so all Israel shall be saved,” if we take that to mean only Jewish people, or to national Israel, then we have confusion.
1. That position contradicts the entire theme of the chapter, which is clearly delineating that only a saved remnant of Jewish believers (Romans 11:5) in the Olive tree Israel, and believers from the Gentile nations being ingrafted into this ‘same’ Olive tree, will be saved.
2. The position that this ‘All Israel’ applies only to ‘national Israel,’ by normal grammatical usage implies that everyone (or even the vast majority) in the physical nation of Israel is going to be saved. This again contradicts God’s Word and plan for a remnant only being saved. The same plan we saw through this chapter, and indeed which is illustrated throughout the entire Bible!
3. This position contradicts all the examples God gives of those who are saved being just a remnant. e.g., when Israel was delivered from Egypt, only a remnant were truly saved. When the old testament congregation fell, only a remnant of Jews were saved. Or during the great flood of Noah, God saved only eight people out of an entire world. Or during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, God saved but three people out of two major cities. Moreover, God uses these examples of Noah and Sodom when speaking of the elect who will be saved in the midst of trial. And it is a remnant only. Matthew 7:14 speaking of the gate to the Kingdom, declares that, ‘..few there be that find it.’
4. This position contradicts the preponderance of evidence that we read immediately before chapter 11, which says:
Romans 9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
So we know by the preponderance of Biblical evidence that everyone in the nation of Israel, or that is a Jewish person by bloodline, is not going to be saved. And we know that a remnant of Israel is being saved now, so that it would be redundant to claim that there will be a program where a remnant would be saved later on. So this position that verse 26 applies only to the physical nation of Israel is unbiblical, ungrammatical, untenable, and inconsistent with ‘the whole’ of scripture.
How do we understand this controversial verse? It really should be no mystery. We understand it just as it is written, and in light of the New Testament, which illuminates it. We do not understand it in a vacuum, or at enmity with itself, or in consideration of what theologians think or interpret it to mean.
Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, “There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
That verse tells us how the mystery written, was revealed. All Israel will be saved by Gentiles also coming in to be part of the New Covenant (tree) Israel. And it refers us back to old Testament prophecy to illustrate just how this will be done. As it is written, by the Deliverer out of Sion who would take away the sins of Jacob (Israel). That is how all Israel shall be saved. By Christ, the Deliverer, who came out of Zion and washed away their sins in His blood.
The opinion that both the Israelites and the Gentiles are become members of the same body of people at this present time, and that in the future the descendants of Israel will again be given the opportunity to become branches of God’s tree of people, is speculation at best. For they are admitting that people of Israel are the Elect at this present time, and yet they are saying they’ll still be given the opportunity in the future “as if” they are not being given the opportunity now. This is confusion. What of all the Jewish believers today who are a remnant? Are they just to be viewed as some aberration or anomaly? God forbid! They are the branches of the Olive tree that are grafted back in “now” as the Gentile branches are being ingrafted. God has not cast off His people and His promises not made null and void.
The first five verses of this study are explaining to us that though it may “appear” to man who doesn’t know God’s plans (as Elijah) that God has cast away his people (because Israel is not saved), the truth is revealed in the riches of God to make known the wisdom and knowledge of the mystery. The deliverance of Israel is assured. But only as God defines it. These first five verses set the stage for the explanation that it is in the remnant, that Israel shall be saved. Just as God said to Elias, that there was a remnant reserved unto Him. God’s integrity or His keeping His Word is not in question, because God knows something that apparently Israel did not. Something that apparently many theologians today choose to ignore. Namely, that, “they are not all Israel, which are of Israel. -Rom. 9:6″ So then God will save Israel, which is His Israel according to His defining, His election, and His purpose.
The entire nation of Israel was never intended to obtain Salvation. God said in verse 6, “What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.” It doesn’t get much clearer than it’s said there. The purpose of God was in accord with election, not to any national salvation or deliverance.
Romans 9:11-13 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Nothing has changed, the purpose was always according to election, and it stands! The election being the ‘all Israel’ saved, while those not chosen (not elect) of Israel having never been predestinated. All in total agreement with Romans chapter 11, and totally contradictory to the ideology of theologians purporting the nation of Israel will be saved. Despite the blindness of most ethnic Israel, the purpose “according to election” still stands. By the careful study of God’s Word, in harmony with the whole of scripture, we can be brought to no other conclusion but that it is just as God planed. God’s purpose has not failed because it was an elective purpose, not a promise to save anyone by race or ethnicity. Our God is Sovereign in determining who will be elect, and who will receive the benefits of His love and compassion. As it is written, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Romans 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
As God illustrated in the very first verse of this study, God has not cast away his people. God forbid such a notion. Paul declares that this cannot be true “because” he is an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. So that means this notion Israel was not being saved is without merit. Paul was one of the Elect, and that is the Israel within the nation Israel, to whom the unconditional promises were made.
We pray for the understanding of Israel, and for those theologians who spend their lives giving them a false sense of security by unbiblical teachings. May the Lord who is Gracious above all, give them the wisdom and guidance in His most Holy Word, to come to understand the truth of these things. Amen!
Copyright 2001 Tony Warren
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